Page 69 of My Turn
With an annoyed growl, I followed her. “If you don’t unlock the door, I’ll break it down like the last one.”
I heard the latch turn, so I threw it open. Alana was standing in front of the mirror trying to see the mark on her shoulder. I thought I hadn’t broken the skin, but it was bleeding a little. When I approached her, she tried to move away. I grabbed her by the waist and set her on the counter, then ran my fingers over the mark, which made her hiss.
Dropping into a crouch, I opened one of the drawers and pulled out some cotton balls, along with alcohol. She remained silent while dabbed at the wound, only the tight set to her jaw betraying that it hurt.
“You don’t get to run away from me,” I said.
She just let out a frustrated breath. I cleared my throat and focused on keeping my voice and accent in character. It was a pain in the ass, but it was getting easier, almost natural when I was wearing the mask. It was infinitely harder when I was fucking her.
“I’m sure you have a million thoughts and concerns. Just know that I’m not going to actually hurt you. This isn’t a passing obsession that will morph into something dangerous. You may be afraid, but you will always be safe with me.”
“Why the mask?” she asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the floor. I didn’t like that, so I pinched her chin and made her look at me.
“Mystery, suspense, excitement, concealment. Why does anyone wear a mask?”
“Because they’re ugly.”
I chuckled before I released her and stepped back. She remained where she was as I leaned against the wall.
“You don’t trust me or this situation.”
She looked at me incredulously. “Why would I? This is completely batshit.”
“You’re batshit and so am I. Who the fuck cares? The people out there don’t get a say in what you do and they don’t have a claim on what’s considered acceptable. If you get turned on by a man you don’t know coming in your room and scaring you, claim that. It’s ridiculous to deny yourself what makes you happy when life comes and goes so quickly that the universe won’t even remember us.”
“It’s way more than what people think about me. I don’t care if they know who and how I fuck.” She hopped down from the counter and walked out of the bathroom. “I don’t know what you want from me and the fact remains that you scare me. Outside of… sex… that’s still a problem. This whole thing is a fucking problem.”
She sat on the bed, then scooted backward when I came closer. I stopped a few feet away. Right now, I didn’t want her fear or her pain. She was talking to me, the masked and terrifying version that she’d thought about killing not that long ago. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the knife. I saw her throat bob, but when I tossed it to the bed, she grabbed it and held it against her chest protectively.
“Would you do it again?” I asked.
With her lip between her teeth, she dropped her gaze to my chest. “Maybe. I don’t know.”
I was glad she couldn’t see the smile behind my mask. “I guess we’ll find out next time.”
She shivered and looked down at her hands. “Where are you from?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“You feel familiar, but I would recognize your accent. I’d know.”
If she figured it out now, I might not be too upset about it, even though she wasn’t where I needed her yet. I’d rip this mask off immediately if I knew that she was ready.
“Go to sleep,” I instructed. “You haven’t been sleeping well.”
“I wonder why,” she muttered.
“Because you worry too damn much. Whether I’m outside or in here, I’m not a threat to you. You’re safer with me watching.”
She rolled her eyes but scooted back and pulled the covers up to her chest. “Make sure everything’s locked when you leave, which is right now.”
I came to the side of the bed and crouched. She still had the knife, which could be a problem, but we could consider this a trust exercise. I reached out to grab her throat without applying much pressure.
“Sleep, darling, and dream only of good things. My cock, for example.” Her lips twitched, but she kept her reaction at bay. Itightened my grip. “Or my tongue. My belt, if you wish. When I come back, I expect your complete and utter acceptance of what I want from you.”
“What do you want?” she whispered.
“Only everything you have to give me, Alana Monroe.”